Look closely at the photo - can you see the nanny goat peeking out from the A-frame hut?  You would never know the grassy meadow is actually the roof of the Old Country Market. It’s not just any market, aside from the fruits and vegetables, most of which are grown on Vancouver Island, it also houses: a deli, a bakery, a gift shop, a restaurant, assorted bedding and accessories from India, but best of all - an ice cream parlor.

The Old Country Market, located in Coombs B.C., is a kaleidoscope of fruit, furniture, toys and knick-knacks from around the world.  But the reason we make it a pit-stop on the way to our cabin are the 69 flavours of ice cream, stacked sky high in a sweet crunchy waffle cone.  It is a fabulous deal at $3.50 for a “single” scoop.  The local teenage boys, who patiently serve the throngs of people lining the glass counter, know how to pack a punch; these cones are staggering in shape and size.

We consider this road-side-wonder one of the perks of owning a cabin.  For cottagers north of Orillia, Ontario, they have Webers; an iconic burger shack known for its salty shoe-string fries and rich chocolate malt shakes.  Demand for these burgers was so overwhelming, the owners installed the first and only pedestrian bridge over a public highway, so people traveling home from the cottage could get one more fix before they hit the city.

It is these quirky outlets that become part of our cottage rituals.  We look forward to their visits as much as actually being at the cabin.  This is especially true in the spring when we have been denied our weekly indulgence.  So whether your favourite haunt is a burger joint, an ice cream stand or a pie place, I wish you a season of happy eating.

Cheers,

Julie 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 at 10:55 am and is filed under Entertaining. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.